09 July 2010

WATCH: Mass. AG Martha Coakley on "Maddow" and DOMA Ruling

Chris Hayes sat in for Rachel Maddow on last night's The Rachel Maddow Show and delivered a fantastic segment on the bombshell rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act. One of his guests was Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who filed one of two federal lawsuits challenging DOMA. That suit, Massachusetts v. Health and Human Services, was filed exactly one year ago.

Said the attorney general: "We're delighted that we don't have to keep a separate set of books for federal benefits that come in through the state. And that includes everything from Social Security to medical benefits, how you file your taxes. There are over 1100 benefits in which the federal government treats married people differently."

And: "It is a burden on Massachusetts to keep two sets of laws. For some purposes you're married under our law, for other purposes you're not married under federal law. Judge Tauro's decision changed that."

Judge Tauro's decision has not been stayed or appealed. Yet. That means all married couples must be treated the same in Massachusetts. Martha Coakley and GLAD's Mary Bonauto are the fierceness. Watch the segment WHEN YOU JUMP ...